In search of colour

Looking to document outside colour examples led me on a short tour of surrounding areas picking out things that interested me. Colour has mainly been defined by interior space and plastic forms, pushed to the limit in my bold choices. Recently I wonder however if more muted tones and subtle shades could look just as good. I like the colours found on buildings - each place you visit seems to be different. When I lived in Spain the colours felt quite distinct to what you find in Edinburgh - the light contributes to this also but it all comes together to give you a feeling for the place. Perhaps bringing these kinds of colours into the work will give it a new aspect.

Overlaid with the lights from the bus interior

Blue rust

A hint of colour/dirt

Front door

Metal blue sky


Kms run last week: just 17...
Books on loan from the library: 4

TOMs exhibition

Another deadline for last week was the completion of work for the TOMs exhibition. I got involved with this a few months ago, after a call for local artist involvement. The opening was on Friday and the exhibition had about 20 artists who had put their own designs on a blank pair of TOMs (canvas shoes). These are to be auctioned with the proceeds going to local charity ARTLINK http://www.artlinkedinburgh.co.uk/.

TOMs have done similar exhibition in the US and in other cities in the UK. It was a bit of a protracted process dealing with the shoes but working on something completely different and on a whole new scale is usually beneficial and it is good to be involved in different things.

 

The exhibition runs until 25th Jan

 

 

 

 



 

At the opening

 

 

Next stage

The way the course is structured means that the written element to the course is now finished. Although for some it seemed like something which was time consuming and unrelated to their practice, I felt that it added to the first semester and gave a focus which related to my own research within the theme of my studio practice.
I think that if you have to do something as part of a course or project, you may as well tailor it to suit not just what you are interested in but something which is related and could be of benefit overall. I really felt like this year a lot of things fell into place in my own thinking about theoretical things which has given me the confidence to question things and apply this to my practice.
Although the academic writing is done with for now, writing is still playing quite a part in my activities at the moment.
The last week has been concerned with focusing on applications to residencies/prizes/proposals/graduate things and so on. There are so many and quite a lot of opportunities to take advantage of. It does take some time out of the practical art making side of things but one thing which needs to be done, if I want to follow these paths, especially after graduation.
In each application it is important to get across exactly what is relevant rather than have one statement for all. I expect to apply for a great many things before having success, such is the nature of these things - on the plus side this will give me plenty of practice in statement writing and proposals...

Other things - a trip to Berlin to visit my brother at ZKU http://www.zku-berlin.org/space/
He is completing a residency there - great to see the kind of things on offer.

 

On the tourist trail at the German parliament

 



Books on loan from the library: 5!
Kms run last week: 14 ... slow week



Review time



 

 

At this time of year a mid session review takes place, in the format of an informal meeting to discuss work so far and plans for the future.

 

Some people find this time quite stressful, having to explain themselves and being forced to reflect on their practice. However, it seems like a natural thing to do - reflect and plan and do, like a constant. It can be quite difficult to articulate thoughts and have a discussion which reflects this though. Alternative methods of critique could be used, but I believe being active in the process not just obliges you to express what your thoughts are but to really reflect on how you want to present them and be able to have some dialogue around it.

 

In preparation, I did a bit of a clear out in the studio space and selected a number of key images I wanted to talk about. Even the act of clearing out helps the process of deciding just what you want to talk about and how you will do it. Editing and selecting a limited number of works rather than having everything on show also refines the aesthetic.

 

Talking about your work can be hard but like most things it gets easier the more you do it and the better prepared you are. I feel as if the actual act of planning has become quite important in relation to the body of work that even planning for this kind of thing is necessary and feels as if it is another step in the process, where everything is linked.

 

 

Studio space, tidy, clean.

 

 

there is a lot more work to do but it is a good place to be in, knowing this and having time to decide on what to do next and how to do it.

 

Kms run last week : 30

Books on loan from the library : 19

 

Project Space

After further exploring a more installative approach in the recent exhibition, I spent time doing similar in a smaller space. The idea to investigate the use of a space and a variety of line and space/form combinations with more materials and this time incorporating smaller works into the made space.

Whilst the exhibition was a more considered response, this became more intuitive, with time to spend on different arrangements and groupings of things.

Adding in some patterned elements, alongside simple colour blocks and different surfaces. Just playfully putting great things together.

 

Using the space to its best advantage, in a way that fills it appropriately - similar to composing a canvas on a frame.

 

 

Pairing images together, not planned but with what appears to look right.

Putting pieces of finished and unfinished work into the composition. On reflection, it seems as if it should be planned more - be more obvious. It is not a decorative aspect but part of the piece and this should come across as a deliberate thing. Worth trying however.

 

Colour is one of the most important aspects of the aesthetic in my practice. I really enjoy how colour just seems to work, or get stuck in my mind and comes together - as above, two separately made/bought items happen to just fit, and the lines from the floor another serendipity.

So another engaging few days on which to reflect - what now/next? How to further develop this way of working, in relation to what I want to achieve from the work. This time of year now is concerned with a mid session review, which seems to have come at a good time - a reflective moment to put my ideas and plans together for the coming months.


Kms run last week: 34
Books on loan from the library: 12, editing process of dissertation begun

Flatpack Exhibition

This week saw a group of 5 final year students taking part in a pop-up exhibition.

We took the name from idea of something being put together quickly, which was our intention for this exhibition, to put it up in one day, have an opening event, and take it down the next. Although it was a short lived thing, I did plan a fair bit before. This was definitely helpful when it came to installing as I knew more or less what I was going to do and in what order. Only a few details remained to be sorted out in the doing. This has been a most helpful experience in planning and deciding what to put where, not just for an installation piece but for a show with others.

We spent most of the day putting the exhibition together, but at a fairly leisurely pace, helping out each other in the hanging and making decisions.

 

The space at first appeared quite large but we had plenty work between all of us to be able to choose and edit as we went along. The hardest part was probably dealing with the cold - an unheated venue in winter is probably not the best choice to make! However, overall the installation turned out more or less how I expected and worked well in the space it was in. Perhaps some of the works we all showed did not work well together or communicate as well as they could have and its worth noting that the decision to show together was taken a few month ago and its a point to show how quickly focus can change.

 

Another busy two weeks ahead with essay redrafts and end of semester crits, and a lot of thinking to do with where to go now with this work.

 

Kms run this week: 25ish

Books on loan from the library: 15?

 

 

Bigger Picture

In preparation for this week´s POP UP EXHIBITION, I spent a fair bit of time planning and trialling for an installation I plan to use as part of my contribution.

To be able to set up work like this as a group at this point is a good opportunity to test things out and as always gain more experience - its always a learning process.

Originally I would have liked to paint directly onto a wall but with restrictions of the gallery, its not possible. Looking for other possibilities, I have tried a variety of tape - it should be sticky but not too sticky. I had tried paper strips a few years ago and may opt for that as a last resort. Although it does change the aesthetic - a line is not a flat coloured surface.

 

And then experimentation with things that are not flat. A simple garden net, painted becomes something apart from the wall, a raised form creating pattern.

 

 

 

And then by chance, the idea of an object as part of the composition. Maybe objects from my collection can be used within the space.

 

 

 

Which also led onto trying some paintings and unfinished works in and on the lined wall drawing. This is yet another dimension. It is a case of seeing what works best for what is trying to be achieved. Essentially it is the aesthetic of the materials used and how they create the forms I want that is the most important part, and how that will fit into the space as a whole.

 

Kms run this week: about 24 /no races

Books on loan from the library: around 20